Gerald Wright's Movie Coverage
NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2008—Presenting 28 films from 11 countries, many in their New York premieres, the 2008 edition of The Film Society of Lincoln Center's annual Latinbeat series features its most diverse slate ever. The popular showcase of new and classic filmmaking from a region that has re-established itself as a force in world cinema will run Sept. 5-25 at the Walter Reade Theater. Several filmmakers are expected to attend screenings, including actress Roxana Blanco and directors Vivien Lesnik, Rodrigo Marín, Jacobo Morales, Ariel Rotter, José Luis Torres Leiva, and Cristobal Valderrama, among others.
"Latinbeat has grown to become one of the premiere Latin cultural events in New York," says Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. "The Latin Media and Entertainment Commission is proud to support this 11th annual film festival, which not only showcases the wonderful traditions and vibrant styles of Latin America but also its work with the LMEC is helping fulfill our mission of making New York City the center of Latin media and entertainment."
This year's series hosts films from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Venezuela and the United States, while the prominence of international co-productions has never been as apparent. A quarter of Latinbeat 2008's films were shot with the cooperation of countries outside the Americas, including France, Italy, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom.
"Never before has the landscape of Latin American film been richer and more varied in style, genre, theme, location and the number of countries explored," says the Film Society's Marcela Goglio, who curated the series with Film Society program director Richard Peña. "The number of strong, arresting works and the range of exciting unique personal voices reflect the diversity and overall cultural effervescence of the region itself."
Film reviews by Gerald Wright will be posted as soon as they become available.
Reviews as of August 23rd
Kill Them All
The Sky, The Earth and the Rain
|
>